Lesson in Learning
by Esmett
Summary: When James' attack on Bella is interupted, Bella manages to get away. However, she forgets about Edward, and Edward must search for his lost love. B&E I'm not sure if I'm going to finish this. If I do, it won't be any time soon. So sorry!


_All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I just play with them… Don't worry, I'll return them just as good as new!_

Lessons in Learning

Chapter 1

James walked forward, a sinister smirk on his face as he looked down at me, sprawled over the glass on the floor. I tried to scramble away, but he restrained me with one hand, his burgundy eyes glistening with laughter at my desperation. With his left hand he held me too the floor with immeasurable strength and with his right, he took his arm in his grasp.

"Finally." He whispered huskily, his head bending down to my flesh as my eyes rolled back in fear. I felt a sharp pain, and looked up in panic, knowing there was no stopping him. I was as good as dead… With much more pain ahead of me.

"Forgive me, Edward…" I murmured, even as James mutilated my arm with his teeth, sucking me up greedily. I could feel the venom that Alice had described flooding through my veins like liquid fire and let out a sharp cry of pain as he drained me of my blood.

And then his teeth weren't there. I looked up, warily, and spotted the door of the studio opening. I felt a burst of hope, and watched as a young woman walked unsuspectingly into the room. She looked up from her keys, and gave a start of surprise as she took in the ruined room. The woman looked first at the broken glass, then at my blood covered body and then, finally, her eyes rested on James. I closed my eyes as she shrieked, and kept them closed as James let go of my arm.

A few minutes passed before I could force myself to pry my eyelids open again. What I saw laid out before me sent a shock rippling through me. James was bent over the woman, sucking perhaps more greedily than he had on me.

Then I felt an urge of survival go through me, even as I laid prone on the floor, whimpering from this ultimate pain. I knew I had to get away, had to get away while James was busy with his other victim. I hauled myself up with the ballet bar, and clutched it until both my knuckles were white.

Stumbling carefully across the floor strewn with glass, I made my way toward the door, glancing back at James. Panic was probably evident in my eyes as I tried to walk quietly to the exit, to my chance of survival, but he didn't look up from his feast. He was crazed with the hunt, just as Edward had described to me, what seemed to be years ago.

Hours seemed to pass before my trembling hand was on the doorknob. Every step I had taken had struck a chord of pain, every breath I had sucked in sent wracking hurt through my lungs. My heart pumped erratically, even as I turned the knob, and half fell out of the door frame.

I moved in a haze, half crawled, half stumbled, away. If people saw me, I didn't see their reaction. I focused on my intent: getting away, hiding out until James was gone and it was safe to leave. I glanced out, looked about for some place where I could hide my bleeding, stumbling body. It seemed to be forever before my pain shot eyes fell on what appeared to be a warehouse.

Hope surged through me as I stumbled brokenly to the building in the distance. This was my chance of survival, my only chance. James would only be occupied with the woman for so long, and by then I had to be hidden. If I did manage to get out of his sight in time, perhaps I had a chance for survival. Then, perhaps, I had a chance to see Edward's face again.

The thought of Edward spurred me on, sent me over the next few blocks faster that I knew I could. Pain and fire coursed through me, and I could only keep myself from screaming by thinking of what such an action would result in.

And then I was stumbling into the unlocked warehouse, tripping over a crate. Unconsciousness took me away, yet I could still feel my fear and pain through the haze.

---

Edward walked quickly from the plane, looking about franticly for a sign of Alice, of Jasper- of Bella. Bella wasn't there, but Alice ran to him, her eyes filled with guilt. Guilt, guilt and fear.

"Edward… Bella… She's gone. Jasper says she said she was going to the bathroom. We've searched, but we can't find her… She's gone, Edward. Bella's gone."

Edward let out a strangled snarl, and pushed Alice away.

"Bella!" He growled, striding through the crowd, his duffel bag still slung over his shoulder. Alice ran dejectedly behind him, sending a warning look at Jasper as he waited for Edward to approach.

"Jasper!" Edward snarled, glaring at his adopted brother with fury. "Where is Bella? Why didn't you take better care of her? Why?" Edward seemed to crumble with despair, and Alice and Jasper had to lower him into a nearby seat.

Jasper opened his mouth to speak, and looked over at Alice. He snapped his jaw shut, staring intently at her as her eyes took on a faraway look. It was Edward's frantic voice that broke her from her trance.

"Alice? Alice! What do you see?" Alice shook her head, as if to clear her mind and grabbed a pad of paper from the back pocket of her pants, as well as a pen. She drew quickly with measured strokes, and Edward looked in shock as she drew.

The picture formed slowly, and Jasper gasped as the image became clear. It was Bella, with her hair tangled beyond all recognition, holding a man with one hand. Her mouth was at his neck, and as Alice drew, blood formed over Bella's victim's shoulder.

Jasper was the first one to speak after Alice looked up from her drawing, dread in her eyes. "God… Bella must have been changed. Or is she going to be changed, Alice? Is there any way to stop it?"

Alice only shook her head again, and looked over at Edward. "She's going through the change right now. There is no stopping the spread of the venom. She's going to be a vampire, Edward, if whoever did this to her doesn't come back to finish the job."

Edward slumped in his chair, his eyes vacant. "Oh, Bella…" He whispered, balling his hands into fists. He looked up at Jasper, and then glanced at Alice. "We have to find her. We have to find my Bella."


End file.
